Islington Arts and Media School had a “really pleasing” set of GCSE results, with almost two thirds of pupils achieving a grade 4 or higher in English and maths combined.

"I was most worried about maths but I got an 8, close to a 9. The new system is much harder but you just have to study harder. I was really nervous overall. I had a dream I failed everything"

Jayden Jean-Paul-Denis

Grade 4, which to you and I is a low C grade, is part of the new grading system for maths and English – and from next year most subjects – that switches letters for numbers. Instead of A* to G it’s now 9 to 1.

Jayden Jean-Paul-Denis and Daniel Ash both got eight or more A* to A grades and had no issues adjusting to the new system of learning.

“I was most worried about maths but I got an 8, close to a 9,” said Jayden. “The new system is much harder but you just have to study harder. I was really nervous overall. I had a dream I failed everything. I’m going to the London Academy of Excellence to study biology, English literature and computer science.”

Daniel added: “I’m most pleased with English language and literature, for which I got an 8 and a 9. I was only expecting a 6 in both. When I opened the envelope I thought it was my maths grade because I’ve always been good at maths.”

Daniel is going on to study maths, further maths, physics and Spanish at King’s College London Mathematics School in Lambeth, and hopes to go on to study engineering science at university.

Anne-Marie Dixon, deputy head of the school in Turle Road, Finsbury Park, said overall the school welcomed the government’s shake-up of the grading system – particularly the introduction of “Progress 8” and “Attainment 8” scores.

Progress 8 measures pupils’ progress between Key Stage 2 and Key Stage 4 across eight subjects and Attainment 8 the average score across those same fields.

“For schools like ours we really welcome the progress measure,” said Ms Dixon. “We have a fair proportion of students with low Key Stage 2 scores. We know the work we do with them moves them on significantly and to have that recognised is something we really welcome.”

The school’s Progress and Attainment 8 scores are predicted to be in line with the national average. Of the pupils who took EBacc subjects – English, maths, a science, a humanity and a foreign language – 28pc achieved A* to C grades.